To think this is the most underrated book ever?

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Well, not the most underrated book ever, nothing as heated as that .

I thought it'd be interesting to do the opposite of the fab overrated books thread.

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood is one for me. MIL passed it over while we were all on holiday, I picked it up with no set expectations and it turned out to be one of those books that lingers for months after you put it down.

Where Three Roads Meet, Salley Vicker's retelling of the Oedipus myth was another that took me by surprise.

There's another underrated thread kicking about - on adult books I think.

I so agree re Year of the Flood. It is so so clever.

I really like Salley Vickers but I haven't read that one. Thanks for the rec.

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates is an absolute masterpiece. Every word is perfect; it's just flawless.

Haven't seen the film and it's not really the sort of book that would make a good film IYKWIM.

Thanks, LittleCheesy, I was clearly too slow! Will go and have a look now.

If you liked Year of the Flood have you read Oryx and Crake? Continues the story.

Loved The Year of Flood, even though I don't normally like sci-fi (I know Atwood claims it isn't, but seems like it to me). Haven't read Oryx and Crake - must get that.

I like Salley Vickers, and read Where Three Roads Meet, but didn't enjoy it at all.

I had a sneaking feeling I wasn't quite brain boxy enough for it...

I think a lot of sci-fi fantasy can be really underrated.

The Otherland series by Tad Williams is a 4 book series that is not only incredibly imaginative and evocative but has complex and interesting characters that you can really care about.

love the Wess'har wars books by Karen Traviss but have yet to meet anyone else whose read them. Female dominated sci-fi ftw!

rhinestone I agree with you about Revolutionary Road. Absolutely wonderful, even though the main characters are so awful.

The film is surprisingly good, so give it a go.

Also loved Revolutionary Road - although I can't recommend finishing it while pregnant, in hospital, waiting to be induced...I'd gone straight from work after my waters broke early and I had nothing else to read...not wanting to reveal the ending suffice to say it left me a bit stunned .

Have since read Easter Parade and also loved that...not a wasted word in Yates' books, so cleanly and beautifully written. Devastating though.

I think the most underrated book was what was voted the most overrated book on another thread - If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - I thought it was wonderful.

Oryx and Crake was written first and is better than Year of the Flood (IMHO). Love Margaret Atwood - try The Handmaids Tale as well, my all time favourite read.

Oh anonacfr. :) The Otherland series are probably my favourite books of all time and it's so nice to hear that someone else appreciated them

I've recommended them to a number of people over the years and everyone refuses to read them on the grounds that they are 'crappy fantasy rubbish'.

I agree about Revolutionary Road.

Confederacy of Dunces.

I couldn't abide Confederacy of Dunces. I got about 100pp in, but couldn't go on.

If Nobody Speaks of remarkable Things - rubbish.

Revolutionary Road - I was very bored by it tbh.

Haven't read Year Of The Flood - Oryx and Crake okay but not a patch on The Handmaid's Tale.